What Sustainable Brands Can Learn About Persuasive Messaging from a Chicken

As the world moves decisively toward sustainability, it’s impossible not to notice the tidal wave of eco-friendly brands and initiatives cropping up in nearly every product category. Consumers are increasingly mindful of their purchases’ impact on the environment, and businesses are racing to meet the demand for sustainable products.

Research reflects this undeniable shift. For instance, 62% of consumers now report that they “always or often” seek sustainable products, up from just 27% previously. A PWC study from May 2024 reveals that Consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability in their consumption practices, as almost nine-in-ten (85%) say they are experiencing the disruptive impacts of climate change in their lives. 46% say they are buying more sustainable products as a way to reduce their impact on the environment.

The business case for sustainability is just as compelling. Sustainable products have captured 17% of the market share, with a 32% share of overall growth. These products are growing 2.7 times faster than their non-sustainable counterparts, and 55% of consumers are willing to pay more for brands that align with their eco-conscious values.

Research First The Trousers recently did for an eco-brand client of ours reflects the same sentiment: ¾ of our quantitative survey respondents feel that “they have a personal obligation to do what they can to be environmentally responsible,” more than 60% “are very concerned about the environment,” and around 6 in 10 respondents want “to make sustainable choices today to have a positive impact for future generations.”

However, despite the increasing appetite for sustainable solutions, many brands are discovering that their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) messaging isn’t motivating consumers to change their preferences. People may want more sustainable brands, but they’re not necessarily responding to the green claims being made.

Consumers are skeptical

A global survey conducted by YouGov across 18 international markets found that more than half of consumers (55%) are skeptical of brands’ sustainability claims. Only 9% of consumers believe a brand’s sustainability claims, while 31% express neutrality. 60% mistrust sustainability claims. In North America, 55% of US and 58% of Canadian consumers are skeptical of brands’ sustainability claims.

Kantar’s Sustainability Sector Index 2023 reveals that, on average, 52% of people globally say they have seen or heard false or misleading information about sustainable actions taken by brands. Even sectors with the lowest associations of greenwashing, such as pet food and baby hygiene products, still have 42% of consumers believing they engage in greenwashing

So why is that?

So, what’s behind this growing distrust? There are four key reasons why sustainable messaging is often ineffective:

1. The Misuse of Simon Sinek‘s “Why”

Simon Sinek’s famous quote, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it,” has been widely misinterpreted in marketing. The original quote continues, “And what you do simply proves what you believe.” This important addition, the proof points that add credibility, is frequently overlooked. Many brands focus solely on their purpose—the “why”—without backing it up with credible actions. While this might have worked for the first few brands in a given category, the strategy loses effectiveness when every competitor begins making similar claims without offering tangible proof of their sustainability efforts.

2. Greenwashing

The misuse of sustainability claims has led to widespread confusion and consumer skepticism. Greenwashing—making exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims about a product’s environmental benefits—has become rampant. In the absence of clear regulations (especially in the U.S., where French fries are still classified as vegetables by the USDA), some brands have been able to make dubious claims with little oversight. Consumers may have fallen for these claims initially, but they’ve become far more critical in the long run.

3. Marketers Own Biases

Many marketers, especially younger ones, are driven by a desire to contribute to something larger than themselves and make a meaningful impact on the world. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads them to project their personal values onto the brands they work with rather than focusing on the needs and values of their consumers. A study called “The Empathy Delusion,” conducted by Reach Solution in the UK, showed that “the major driving force behind virtue strategies is not the need of the mainstream (consumers), it’s the assumptions and needs of the people in the advertising and marketing industry.” Just like the CMO of Bud Light projecting her values of inclusivity and diversity onto the repositioning of Bud Light at the expense of the brand’s core consumer base.    

4. Messaging Confusion

The sheer volume of sustainability claims across product categories has created a maze of information for consumers. For instance, in a recent sustainable claims analysis, we conducted for a client, we identified over 50 sustainability claims related to the packaging, the ingredients (type of ingredients, origin, absence of ingredients, etc.), claims that extend the longevity of your product usage, claims about consumer engagement and education programs, carbon footprint reduction initiatives, supply chain claims, social responsibility claims, sustainable cooperations with manufacturers in adjacent categories, etc. Consumers, even those who want to make environmentally responsible choices, are left overwhelmed and unsure which claims to trust. The flood of competing and often contradictory messages has led to decision fatigue, making it difficult for consumers to choose the truly impactful brands.

So, What Can Brands Do to Break Through?

Given this landscape of consumer skepticism, greenwashing accusations, and messaging overload, how can sustainable brands craft messaging platforms that truly resonate and motivate action?

I am glad you asked.  

Interesting research done by NYU/Stern and Edelman and appropriately entitled “Effective Sustainability Communication” identifies potential solutions we have validated through several projects. On a side note, when working on a client assignment, we faced this challenge: what kind of “green” messaging platform would help our client change brand preferences and consumer behaviors? When we came across this NYU/Stern research, we didn’t take it at face value. Instead, we used those insights to craft messages that we then validated through our own, brand-specific, quantitative research.  

Tie sustainability to core category benefits or drivers:

The core take-away from this study is that consumers are first and foremost driven by core category drivers, the core drivers motivating them to purchase that category in the first place. I want a cleaning product to clean, toothpaste to provide a healthy dental hygiene, a food product to taste good, a ladder to hold my weight and remain sturdy when I climb it, and a battery to last long. You get the point. 

Most sustainable brands seem to have forgotten this very basic marketing 101. Based on this very basic marketing truth, sustainable messaging elements can either act as an RTB to support a benefit claim or act as a secondary benefit (emphasis on secondary) that helps the consumer feel good about their brand choice and potentially promotes higher loyalty and repeat purchases.

Here’s where we can take a lesson from our unexpected source—a chicken.

Imagine you’re shopping for organic chicken. Why are you considering it? Most likely, you think it will taste better and be healthier (less chemical, no antibiotics, etc.) for your family. The fact that it’s organic and/or raised free-range acts as a reason to believe that supports the core benefits of taste and health.

Procter & Gamble’s Tide Cold Wash initiative perfectly illustrates this principle. Despite the environmental benefits of washing in cold water, the most motivating message for consumers wasn’t about reducing energy consumption or saving the planet. It was about saving money. P&G discovered that focusing on cost savings performed better than any sustainability claim.

The key takeaway? Consumers want category benefits first and foremost, and sustainability should act as an RTB or as a secondary trust-building benefit.

A Path To Developing Persuasive Eco-Brand Messaging

If you want your sustainable messaging to drive brand preference and change consumer behavior, follow these four steps:

Step 1: Understand and Quantify Your Core Category Drivers

Why do people, or the different consumer segments, buy products in your category? Identify the top two or three drivers that motivate purchase decisions.

Step 2: Define What “Sustainable” Means in Your Category

Sustainability looks different across categories. In food, it might mean organic ingredients, while in cleaning products, it could mean non-toxic chemicals or eco-friendly packaging. Understand, validate and focus on the aspects of sustainability that matter most to your consumers in your category.

Step 3: Link Sustainability Arguments To The Core Category Benefits

Develop messaging strategies that connect your sustainability claims to the category drivers. Develop various messaging options/hypotheses, taking into account the learning of step 1 and 2 and your brand’s unique strengths.

Step 4: Test and Validate Your Messaging

Don’t leave your messaging to chance. Test those different messaging options with your target consumer segments, including current customers, potential switchers, competitive users, and even those who reject your brand (if relevant). Use quantitative data to validate which messages resonate the most.

Ready to Develop a Compelling, Trustworthy Strategy?

Crafting an effective sustainability message isn’t just about jumping on the green bandwagon—it’s about understanding your consumers, prioritizing the core benefits they care about, and using sustainability to enhance your brand’s credibility and motivational appeal.

Et voila. With this simple yet rigorous approach, you’ll be able to develop compelling messaging platforms for your brand that create brand preferences and change consumer behaviors while allowing you to build your “green” associations.

And before you tell me that this approach is time-consuming and expensive, know that with our proprietary methodology (based on the analysis of over 1200 case studies of successful brand building), we can help our clients identify, quantify, and validate their most compelling ESG messaging platforms in a few days and at a fraction of the costs of larger firms and research institutes.  

And if that still feels too slow and expensive, ask yourself this: “Would you rather spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars on promoting vague and ineffective messages, or would you rather spend your millions on motivating and differentiating messages that will help build your brand and change consumers’ behaviors in your favor?”

 In my opinion, this is a no-brainer. 

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